| The Data: Coverage, Periodicity, and Timeliness |
| Coverage characteristics | 5.1.1 Statistical presentation
- Data are disseminated in thousands pesos according to the accounts of the Central Bank of the Argentine Republic ("BCRA") prepared consistently with its accounting system. Such data are reported under the following items:
- Assets
- International Reserves
- Government Securities
- Temporary advance Funds to the Government
- Loans to the Argentine Financial System (includes loans to public banks)
- Contributions to International Agencies on behalf National Government and Others
- Cross Entry of the use of the Reserve Tranche
- Rights deriving from term operations
- Other Assets
- Liabilities
- Monetary Base
- Current accounts in other currencies
- National Government Deposits and Others
- Other Deposits Various
- Due to International Agencies
- Central Bank Securities
- Cross Entry of Contributions of the National Government to International Agencies
- Obligations Deriving form Term Operations
- Other liabilities
- Provisions
- Net Equity
- Separately identifiable data on the prescribed component of net domestic claims on the public sector are not disseminated; however, the data can be derived as the sum of: (1) Government Securities; plus (2) Temporary Advance Funds to the Government; and (3)Cross entry of the Use of the Reserve Tranche ; less (4) National Government Deposits and Others and (5) Cross entry of Contributions of the National Government to International Agencies
- (According to the amendment of article 20 of the BCRA Charter, Act No. 25562: "…The BCRA may advance funds to the National Government on a temporary basis up to an amount of 10% of the cash resources the former has collected along the past 12 months. Any funds so advanced shall be reimbursed within the 12-month period from the date such funds are extended. Should any funds so advanced remain outstanding after such 12-month period, the BCRA shall refrain from exercising the above powers until the outstanding amounts are paid.")
- Finally, a net external position includes the whole international reserves and payments to international agencies minus liabilities payable to international agencies.
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| Periodicity | 4.1.1 Periodicity Weekly |
| Timeliness | 4.1.2 Timeliness Within one week after the 7th, 15th, 23rd and last day of the month. |
| Access by the Public |
Advance dissemination of
release calendar | 5.1.3 Advance release calendar An advance release calendar that gives one-quarter ahead notice of the precise release dates is disseminated on the Internet on the IMF's DSBB website (http://dsbb.imf.org/Applications/web/sddsctycatarclist/?strcode=ARG). A notice to this effect is published in the weekly news release Estado Resumido de Activos y Pasivos. |
Simultaneous release to all
interested parties | 5.1.4 Simultaneous release
- The data are released simultaneously to all interested parties by issuing the news release Summary Balance of Assets and Liabilities. Copies of the news release are available to the public at BCRA headquarters.
- This publication is subsequently posted on the BCRA's Internet website (http://www.bcra.gov.ar).
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| Integrity |
Dissemination of terms and
conditions under which
official statistics are
produced, including those
relating to the confidentiality
of individually identifiable
information | 0.1.1 Responsibility for collecting, processing, and disseminating statistics Banco Central
- BCRA Charter of 1992 with the amendments of 1995 and 2002 (Act 24.144, passed on 09/23/92, as amended).
- Law on Financial Institutions (Act 21.526, passed on 02/14/77, as amended). Law of Financial Institutions, Article 36, specifies that financial entity’s accountancy and drawing up and submission of their balance sheets, income statements, other documentation on their economic and financial position, and any information the BCRA may request shall be subject to the rules the BCRA may lay down.
- Convertibility Law (Act 23.928, passed on 03/27/91, as amended).
0.1.2 Data sharing and coordination among data producing agencies Banco Central Contacts are maintained with other data producing agencies to promote a proper understanding of data requirements, to avoid duplication of effort, and to take into account reporting burden.0.1.3 Confidentiality of individual reporters' data Banco Central
- Law of Financial Institutions, Article 40, specifies that any information on deposits the BCRA may come to know or collect in the exercise of its activities shall enjoy full confidentiality.
- Also, BCRA’s staff or the external auditing professionals the BCRA may hire to fulfil its duties shall keep full confidentiality about the information that comes to their knowledge. Those profesionals who take part in external audit exams shall be subject to the provisions provided under articles 41 and 42 of this Act.
- The BCRA Charter, Article 53, specifies that the information collected by SEFyC by virtue of its supervisory authorities shall be confidential. The officers and employees who have access to such information shall not disclose it without the express authorization of SEFyC, even after they cease holding office.
- A secured information system ensures that only authorized internal officers obtain the authorization codes for accessing confidential data.
0.1.4 Ensuring statistical reporting Banco Central
- The Law on Financial Institutions requires banks to report all kind of data to the BCRA. (Title IV, Accounting and Audit Information Regime):
Article 37 - Financial entities must make their accountancy books, mail, documents and papers available to such officers as the BCRA may appoint for control or data collection purposes. Borrowers shall be subject to the same obligation, whenever an examination or a summary proceeding is pending.
Article 38 - In cases where unauthorized persons may usually act either as intermediaries between supply and demand of financial resources or within the lending market, the BCRA may request them to supply information on their activities and ask them to show their books and papers; if they refuse to furnish such information or display said books and documents, the BCRA may then request the hearing judge to issue a search warrant and order the assistance of law enforcement officers.
· Reporting is mandatory; penalties for noncompliance (including misreporting) act as effective deterrent, even if such provisions rarely need to be employed. 0.2.1 Staff, facilities, computing resources, and financing Banco Central
- The qualifications of the staff are adequate, with their skills maintained and developed to perform the required tasks.
- Hardware is distributed adequately to facilitate the efficient collection and processing of data, and management of databases.
- Adequate protection is provided for computer resources, including through provision of emergency back-up systems for retrieval of statistical series and updates in the event of natural disasters, accidents, and other unusual events.
0.2.2 Ensuring efficient use of resources Banco Central
- Periodic reviews of staff performance are conducted.
- Budgeting procedures are used to help allocate resources.
- Efficiencies are sought through periodic reviews of work processes, e.g., seeking cost effectiveness of survey design in relation to objectives, and encouraging consistent concepts, classification and other methodologies across datasets.
0.3.1 Monitoring user requirements Banco Central Monetary policy analytical framework ensures the producing and identification of data meeting advanced and general users’ needs.0.4.1 Quality policy Banco Central
- Management is sensitive to all dimensions of data quality, and promotes a shared concern for quality throughout the organization.
- Staff training programs emphasize the importance of quality and give staff an understanding as to how quality may be achieved.
0.4.2 Quality monitoring Banco Central
- Periodic reviews are undertaken to identify steps necessary to maintain quality requirements
- The BCRA Charter specifies that the BCRA's accounting statements are subject to certification by external auditors, whose report must be submitted to the National Executive Branch and to the National Congress. (Article 39)
- The BCRA Charter requires that a regular controller and an alternate controller, appointed by the Executive Power in consultation with the Senate, shall supervise the observance by the BCRA of the provisions of this Charter and any other rules applicable..." (Article 36).
0.4.3 Quality planning Banco Central Quality improvements identified during ongoing monitoring and feedback from users on new and emerging data are addressed and taken into account in the work program planning process.1.1.1 Impartiality of statistics Banco Central
- The BCRA is a an independent body of the National State; it is a self-administered agency governed by the provisions of its Charter (Article 1º, Act No. 24144).
- The data on the analytical accounts of the banking sector are compiled under the terms and conditions of the BCRA Charter of 1992 with the amendments of 1995 and 2002 and the Law on Financial Institutions, Law No. 21.526, adopted on February 14, 1977 (B.O. 21/02/77) with its amendments.
1.1.2 Selection of sources, methodology, and modes of dissemination Banco Central The BCRA Charter specifies that the accounting records of the BCRA must be prepared in accordance with the same generally-accepted principles as those established by the Superintendency of Financial and Foreign Exchange Institutions ("SEFyC") (Superintendencia de Entidades Financieras y Cambiarias) for all financial institutions. (Article 34). (Such rules are issued by the Accounting Professional Association of the City of Buenos Aires).
1.1.3 Commenting on erroneous interpretation and misuse of statistics Banco Central
- The data producing agency seeks to prevent misinterpretation or misuse of statistics by providing explanatory materials and official communications.
- The data producing agency monitors media coverage of its data (“clipping service”), and comments publicly and in a timely manner on erroneous interpretations or misuse of the statistics in the media and in other forum.
1.2.1 Disclosure of terms and conditions for statistical collection, processing, and dissemination Banco Central
- The BCRA Charter is published both in Spanish and English, and are available for consultation by the public at the BCRA Library. Also, an English version is available at the BCRA's website: http://www.bcra.gov.ar.
- A copy of these instruments are also available for consultation by the public at the BCRA Library.
1.3.1 Guidelines for staff behavior Banco Central
- There are clear guidelines outlining correct behavior when the agency or its staff are confronted with potential conflict of interest situations.
- Management acknowledges its status as a role model and is vigilant in following the standards.
- New staff is made aware of the standards when they join the organization.
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Identification of internal
government access to data
before release | 1.2.2 Internal governmental access to statistics prior to release Banco Central Article 26 of the BCRA Charter requires the BCRA to inform the Ministerio de Economía (MECON) of monetary, financial, foreign exchange, and flow-of-funds positions. No officials outside the BCRA and the MECON have access to the data prior to their release to the public. |
Identification of ministerial
commentary on the occasion of
statistical releases | 1.2.3 Attribution of statistical products Banco Central No commentary is attached to the release of the data. |
Provision of information
about revision and advance
notice of major changes in
methodology | 4.3.1 Revision schedule The data that refers to the last week of year is provisional when first released and is subject to revision. The data become final when the balance sheet of the central bank for the reference year is approved. The final data are published in the next issue of the monthly Statistical Bulletin. 1.2.4 Advance notice of major changes in methodology, source data, and statistical techniques. Banco Central
- The data are generally considered to be final when first released. However, in the event that preliminary data are published in the “Statistical Bulletin”, they are identified with an asterisk. The preliminary data are revised and are published as final in the next issue of the “Statistical Bulletin”. The final status of the data is indicated by the absence of an asterisk.
- Any methodological changes are explained at the time the changes are introduced in the relevant issue of a news release or in the Boletín Estadístico. No methodological changes are envisaged.
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| Quality |
Dissemination of
documentation on methodology
and sources used in preparing
statistics | 5.2.1 Dissemination of documentation on concepts, scope, classifications, basis of recording, data sources, and statistical techniques
- The accounting records are prepared in accordance with generally accepted standards, following the same generally accepted principles that are established by the Superintendence of Financial and Foreign Exchange Institutions for all financial institutions (Article 34 of the BCRA's Charter).
- Documentation on the methodology for compiling the BCRA balance sheet is published in the Notes section and the Methodological Summary section of the monthly Statistical Bulletin, and is also disseminated on the BCRA web page (http://www.bcra.gov.ar).
(See also summary methodology)
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Dissemination of component
detail, reconciliations with
related data, and statistical
frameworks that support
statistical cross-checks
and provide assurance of
reasonableness | 4.2.2 Temporal consistency The monthly Statistical Bulletin publishes monthly time series data for the period since 1994 showing the detailed components of the BCRA's balance sheet. |
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Footnotes
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Last posted: Date IMF staff last posted an update to these metadata
on the DSBB.
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Last certified: Date subscriber last officially certified the
accuracy of these metadata.
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Last updated: Date subscriber last submitted an update of these
metadata to the IMF.
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Dissemination
